Are you resisting life’s bad pitches? Betting the farm on a risky business venture? A foolish relationship choice? Succumbing to a temptation in order to feel accepted?

Contrasting a good eye with a bad eye, Jesus taught that seeking contentment apart from God led to discontentment (Matthew 6:22-23). Today, we use “good eye” to commend a batter for letting a bad pitch go by.

Contentment is satisfied in the peace of the Restorer. By trusting in godliness rather than our giftedness, we can be free from micromanaging profitable outcomes. The Apostle Paul summed it up when he spoke against those who used godliness as a means to financial gain, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy).

What would happen if you were generous with your time, talent, and treasure? Would you be content enough in Christ to give to someone in need? Would you spend extra time with your spouse or children, allowing them to set the agenda? Would you invest your talent into a coworker? Would you give some of your treasure to a neighbor who’s struggling?

Imagine if you let life’s bad pitches go by and lived content in the peace of God in Christ, the focal point of the eyes of your heart. This is yet another step you can take as you travel Restoration Road to lived restored to authenticity.

When life is centered in Christ, we discover that His peace is greater than our desire for contentment.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

How much is enough?

Solomon, the wealthiest person on earth, reflected, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Money will never satisfy.

During a trip through Germany I discovered a proverbial hidden treasure. It was a Horch twelve-cylinder special roadster built in the 1930′s, now stored in a small garage across from the owner’s flat in a gorgeous German village. As the owner and I were looking at the restored twelve-cylinder power plant under the hood, he shared his philosophy about contentment and money. He was most likely describing why he valued this multimillion-dollar car, yet lived in a modest home.

In his German accented English, he reflected: “You know, there are two ways to live life. One is to make a lot of money in hopes that you will someday be able to enjoy it. The other is to enjoy it as you go. I’ve chosen the latter.” His wisdom got my workaholic attention.

What about you? Have you given your life to earning as much as you can in hopes that you will someday be able to enjoy it? If so, surrender that discontented desire to the Restorer who will give you peace.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

Who is more content, the person with a million dollars or the person with ten children? You probably guessed the person with ten children, and you are correct. He is more content because he does not want any more. That is the definition of contentment: not wanting anything more or different.

The desire for contentment comes from being blessed by God to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue (bring contentment to) the earth (Genesis 1:28).

Pride seeks contentment from money. Jesus taught, “But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matthew 6:23). Two thousand years ago, a “bad eye” was a greedy one. It desired something more or different than the time, talent, and treasure given by God.

The result is the darkness of discontentment. Jesus continued, “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matthew 6:23).

Contrastingly, humility seeks generosity. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). Two thousand years ago, saying that a person had a good eye meant that he was generous, content, and focused. Today, we use the term “good eye” when a batter lets a bad pitch go by. The batter is content enough to let the foolish opportunity pass.

Will you be content enough to allow life’s bad pitches to go by and become generous with our time, talent, and treasure? The result will be the peace of God in Christ (Ephesians 2:14).

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.